"More Than Just A Clone"

Chapter 14

Mereel and Jaing's call about a Stormtrooper and a Jedi traveling together didn't just bring Jusik. It brought out about half of Kyrimorut. Whether everyone was just restless from too much 'downtime' after three years of constant action, or, just needed a distraction from the sadness surrounding the death of Etain, their call brought out a lot more help than was needed, or wanted.

"What's a kriffin' Jedi doing in our woods?" Skirata hissed, crouching down in position next to Jaing and Mereel.

Jaing and Mereel relayed everything they'd seen and done so far.

"So how many Jedi are there?" asked Ruu, sliding into place next to her Dad.

Jaing and Mereel exchanged a look that clearly said: 'What's she doing here?'

"Dunno," Jaing said, answering her question, "where's Jusik?"

"Kad had a nightmare. He said he'll be here momentarily," Ruu said.

"You should have called in as soon as you spotted him," Ordo said, subtly shouldering Ruu aside so that he could squeeze into his customary place Kal's right hand side. Ruu narrowed her eyes at him, but yielded.

Mereel rolled his eyes at Ordo's comment. Jaing opened his mouth to issue a retort, and considered adding in a comment about Ordo's new alpha male insecurities.

Kal picked up on all of it, and immediately called a halt to it. He put a restraining hand on Ordo's arm and put up a hand to Jaing and Mereel, "Stop! We're all on edge right now, but we don't take it out on family. Understand?"

Jaing, Mereel and Ordo all hung their heads and nodded, suddenly looking more like young boys rather than super-commandos.

Ruu cocked her head to the side, taking this all in. She was amazed at the power her father still yielded. He was everything she still remembered he was from her childhood. She'd remembered him as being larger than life. Everything her Mom had said over the years hadn't chipped away at the cherished vision she kept held. With all this power and respect he yielded over everyone at Kyrimorut, how is it that he couldn't work things out with his own wife?

"Where do you think they went?" Kal asked, going back to being all-business, as if the argument had never happened.

Jaing looked a bit sheepish, "We lost track of them."

Ordo opened his mouth to say something, but then thought better of it.

Skirata's nose wrinkled as if he smelled something foul.

"Let's send Mird after them," Vau said, coming up behind Skirata, "he could use a good hunt. "

"No need," Jusik said, appearing behind them. He gazed off into the darkening night, his gaze fixed on a spot off in the distance, "there."

Jaing and Mereel grabbed their Verps, and scurried out of the ditch they'd been hiding in.

The others quickly scurried after Jaing and Mereel, spreading out into the woods, forming a human net around their prey.

Mird was excited at the hunt, and ran ahead to Jaing and Mereel, intent on sinking his teeth into the prey first.

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Author's Note: OK, here are some more character explanations for those who need them...

Ruu is Kal Skirata's daughter. They were separated for many years due to a rather messy divorce, and Kal's military career. Now that his ex-wife has passed on, he reunited with his daughter. (Well, he had to bust her out of jail first.) Some of the Nulls, (OK, mainly Ordo), don't like the competition for Papa Kal's attention.

Walon Vu was also a training sergeant at Kamino. He has a pet 'strill,' a highly intelligent, six-legged beast that is about the size of a mountain lion. It drools constantly, has an offensive smell (just to men), and can 'fly,' much in the same manner as a flying squirrel.

'Kad' is Kal's grandson, son of Darman, a regular clone that Kal also took on as an adopted son. Darman secretly married Etain, a Jedi. Etain was accidentally killed on the day of Order 66 while trying to save the life of a clone. Darman is not living on Mandalore with the others. Through a series of tragic events, he ended up getting left behind on the day (Order 66)the others fled Coruscant for Mandalore. He now serves as a (Special Forces) soldier in the Imperial Army, in the 501st Legion. Kad is about a year and a half old, but already demonstrates considerable force ability. Jusik is training him in how to hide his force powers to avoid detection.